Printing appliance.



J. P. QUIGGAN. PRINTING APPLIANCB.

ArPLIoATIoN rILED SEPT. ao, 1910.

2 SHEETSSHEET -1.

Patented May 21, 1912.

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J. P. QUIGGAN. PRINTING APPLIANGE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. so, 1910.

1,026,767. Patented May 21, 1912.

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JOHN 1?. QUIGGAN, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PRINTING APPLIANCE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1912.

Application led September 30, 1910. Serial No. 584,712.

To all 'whom it may concern:4

Be it` known that I, JOHN RYQUIGGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing Appliances, 'ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in printing appliances and moreparticularly to clamps for printing plates.

One object of the invention is to provide a base block provided with aplurality of vertically' arranged and equally spaced tapering openingstherethrough.

The invention resides particularly in the peculiar construction of theclamps which are adapted to be inserted in the above mentioned openingsin the base block.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the clamps, that theywill lirmly hold themselves in the openings in the base block.

A further object is to improve the construction o the clampsthat theymay be readily inserted into and removed from the base block.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings in whic is illustrated the device of theabove described character, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a perforatedbase block, and a series of my clamps holding aprinting plate inposition, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view through one form of the clamp, Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the body of the clamp shown in Fig.l 3, 5 is avertical sectional view of a modiiication of the clamp,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the movablek jaw of the clamp of Fig. 5,Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the spring used with the clamp shown inFig. 5,y for' retaining the clamp in the base block, Fig. 8 is aperspective view of thebody of the clamp shown in Fig. 5, Fig.v 9l is aside view of a tool for rotating the pinions of the clamps.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the bed of a press, in which issecured a base block 2 having formed vertically therethrough, and atequally spaced intervals the circular tapering openings 3, in whichopenings are adapted to be inserted the clamps forming the subjectmatter of this application.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 the clamp comprises a bodyportion 4 having a base 5 projecting laterally from the lower portionthereof. The body 4 is semi-tubular and has a transverse slot 17, whichlets into a transverse tubular passage 18. In the above mentioned slotand passage is secured a friction spring 19 and a clamping aw 20, formedof a single piece of spring metal. The clamping jaw comprises a verticalmember 21 having a T-head on its upper end 22, and directly beneath thehead is an enlarged portion 23 formed with a transversely arrangedopening 24, to receive the threaded end therethrough of the bolt 25,which has its opposite end secured within the vertical extension 26 ofthe body 4. Threadedly mounted on the bolt 25, and between theenlargement 23 and the extension 26, is a pinion 27, which is adapted tobear against said enlargement to force the same forward, and engage theportion 22 against the printing plate 16 or release the same therefrom.The lower ends, at the rear portion of the body of the clamp, areslightly tapered as at 28. The pinion 27 is adapted to be rotated ineither direction by means of the device shown in Fig. 9, which comprisesa handle portion 29, from the lower edge of which, and forming a partthereof, is a rack member 30. This rack member has a straight portion 31and the end curved portions 32, which facilitates the easy applicationand removal of the device from the pinions on the clamps.' The centralportion of the rack 30 is formed with two vertical slots 33, throughwhich pass the adjusting screws 34, threaded into a guide plate 35. Thisguide plate projects a distance, which is adjusted by means of the screwand slot connection, below the rack teeth, and engages against the sidefaces of the pinions, to hold the rack in positive engagement with thepinions.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a slightly difterent form of the jaw. The upperportion of the jaw is similar to that inthe other form, but at the lowerend ofr the vertical portion, is integrally formed therewith, arearwardly extending cylindrical block 36, and at the rear end of saidextension and projecting above the upper face thereof, is a small lug37, having its front face 38 adapted to bear against the rear face ofthe pinion 27. This clamp has a solid body portion 4 and a bot* tomextension 5', in the upper face of the latter of which is a transverseslot 17 in which is rigidly secured a spring 19, identical in purpose tothe spring 19 of the form shown in Fig. 3. The spring, however, isforked at its free end to provide the ngers 39, while the spring in theclamp shown in Fig. 3 is solid, and widens toward the top. In the upperportion of the body a is an opening 30, which is circular in its lowerport-ion to accommodate the cylindrical portion 36 of the jaw, and thevertical angular portion al for the lug 37. This serves to guide thejaw, and to prevent its turning. In the operation of the device, theprinting plate is positioned on the base block, and the form of clampshown in Fig. 3 slipped into the openings adjacent one of the ends andadjacent side of the plate until the beveled portion of the cross arm ofthe jaw engages with the edge of the plate. The tool having the rack 30thereon, is engaged with the pinions on the clamps and move longitudinally across said pinions to cause them to rotate. The rot-ation ofthe pinions will cause them to advance along the threads of the boltsand push the jaw tightly into engagement with the printing plate. Thecurved portion of the rack is used when the clamps are placed so that itwould be impossible to get a full sweep of the straight portion of therack, it being only necessary to tip up the forward end of the tool andallow the curved port-ion to engage the pinion of the clamps at one endof a row. The rack is made long enough to engage a number of the pinionsat the same time, to facilitate the quick adjustment of the clamps. Aplurality of these clamps are placed in the tapering openings 3 of thebase block around a printing plate 16, so that the jaw 8 will engage theedges of said plate, and the cross-head being beveled at 9, andextending slightly over the edge of the plate, will, under the force ofthe spring 13, hold the said plate against vertical movement ,from orlateral movement on the base block.

The taper of the openings 3 is very slight, the approximate differencebetween the upper and lower diameters being .04 of an inch.

It will thus be seen that a printing plate of any size within that ofthe chase, or of any shape, may be used, and it is only necessary toinsert the spring and screw clamps in the openings adjacent therespective end and side edges of the printing plate. The clamps aresecurely held within the openings of the base block, and effectivelyprevent any movement of the printing plate. The clamps will, whenengaged against the edges of the printing plate, cant slightly, and maybe easily and quickly removed by simply tilting them into their uprightpositions, it of course being understood, that the jaws are firstreleased from the printing plate.

It will be apparent that changes Vin the form, proportions, and minordet-ails of construction, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. In a printing appliance, the combination with a base block having aplurality of tapering openings therein and a printing plate positionedthereon, of clamps adapted to be inserted in the openings of the baseblock, said clamps comprising a vertical body portion, a lateralextension on said body portion, a movable jaw mounted on said bodyportion, a horizontally disposed threaded bolt in the upper portion ofthe body of the clamp, said jaw having a lateral opening thereintoreceive said boltV therethrough, a spring secured in the said lateralextension to retain the clamp within an opening on the said base block,and a pinion threaded on the said bolt, said pinion, when rotated,advancing and receding said jaw with respect to the printing plate.

2. In a printing appliance, the combination with a base block having aseries of tapering openings therein and a printing plate positionedthereon, of clamps adapted to be inserted in one of the openings in saidbase block surrounding said plate, each of said clamps comprising avertical body portion having a transverse opening through its upperpart, a lateral extensionV formed integrally with the lower part of saidbody portion, a spring secured within a groove in said extension, a jawhaving a tubular portion adapted to move through the said opening in theupper part of the body portion, a guiding lug on said cylindricalportion for engagement within an offset recess in the upper part of thebody portion, a T-shaped member formed on the forward end of saidcylindrical portion, t-he forward face of the cross of said T-memberbeing beveled and adapted for engagement with the edge of said printingplate, the vertical part of said T member having an openingtherethrough, a threaded bolt secured at one end to the upper part ofthe body portion and extending through the opening in said T member, anda pinion threaded on said bolt between the said T member and the saidlug.

3. In a printing appliance, the combination with a base block having aseries of tapering openings therein, and a printing plate positionedthereon, of clamps in the openings in said base block, surrounding saidplate, each of said clamps comprising a vertical body portion, thehorizontal eX- tension of the lower portion thereof, a bowed springsecured to said extensiomand projecting upwardly, said spring engagingin the openings in the base block, and resilient means on the upper endof the body portion for engagement with the printing 5 plate.

10 openings in said base block surrounding said plate, each of saidclamps comprising a vertical body portion, the horizontal extension ofthe lower portion thereof, a bowed spring secured to said extension, andprojecting upwardly, said spring engaging in the openings in the baseblock, and resilient adjusted means on the upper end of the body portionfor engagement with the printing plate.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN P. QUIGGAN. Witnesses:

WALTER BRooKEs, JOHN KoBRENs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

